Bloodstar, Tyrant of StormClan
by Bloodstar159
Summary: I suck at summaries. The book is about a villain named Bloodstar, from kithood to the end of his leadership. At first, he is simply an immature jerk who thinks he is better than every cat around him. But eventually he becomes a cruel and ruthless leader who has a dangerous thirst for power. He's kinda like Tigerstar. Rated T for lots of blood and death.
1. Hi, I'm Bloodkit

Hi. My name is Bloodkit. I live in the StormClan Nursery with my Mother, Dapplefur, and my littermates, Silverkit, Ashkit, and Everlastingkit. The other Queen in the nursery is Midnightshadows. She had her kits around the same time as my mom had me. Her kits are Blackkit and Frostkit  
I'm the best of all of us. I'm the strongest, and the best. I'll be the greatest warrior. I'll be leader!  
Frostkit, however, is a sorry excuse for a cat. She's blind, and useless.

I pounce on a mouse. It isn't my mouse. It it Everlastingkit's food. I don't care. I shove her and take a bite.  
"Hey!" She screeches. "You already had a mouse! That's mine! Meanie!"  
I shrug. "I'm still hungry." I say. She can just get another mouse. Everlastingkit hisses at me and bounds toward mom.  
"HE STOLE MY MOUSE!" She yowls.  
I roll my eyes and take a bite. I can hear mother coming over to scold me. I don't really care. The worst that would happen was that she would ground me to the nursery.  
"Bloodkit, you know better." She says firmly.  
"Am I grounded?" I ask, uninterested.  
"No. But if your misbehavior continues there will be consequences." She said. She pads to the freshkill pile and gets a rabbit. She gives it to Everlastingkit, who squeals with delight. I turn back to my mouse and took another bite. What kind of consequences? She wouldn't delay my apprentice ceremony, would she?  
I dismissed it from my mind and got to my paws. I padded over to Blackkit, who was playing with a vole. Grinning, I pounced on it, tugging it free from his claws. He hissed playfully and tackled me, laughing. We wrestle on the ground for while and finally he shoves me off and reclaims his mouse.  
"All right! Let me eat." He pants, grinning. I nod and look around camp.  
I see Frostkit playing with Everlastingkit, and decide to play with them. When you're a kit, there isn't much to do. I don't really want to play, but it beats playing with dirt. I guess.  
"Hi." I say to Frostkit.  
Frostkit jumps, fur bristling. "H-hello." She says nervously."  
I roll my eyes, but there is a certain amount of satisfaction about the edge to her voice. She is scared of me. That sort of shows how wimpy she is.  
"I just wanna play." I say. Frostkit flattens her ears uncertainly.  
"Fine." Everlastingkit says. "Not too rough." Everlastingkit turns to Frostkit. "Wanna play hide and seek?"  
"Sure! I'll seek!" Frostkit grins.  
Her? Seek? She must be joking. She can't see anything that's half a tail length in front of her! I just shrug and look around for a hiding place. Aha! I dart toward a bush at the edge of camp and push my way in. I crouch silently, waiting for Frostkit to come look. Soon I see her bounding over.  
"Found you!" She squeaks. "Just because I'm blind doesn't mean I can't smell you." She smiles.  
Bored, I squeeze out of my hiding place and tackle her. She hisses and swipes at me, claws out. I dodge and pounce. I bite her on the tip of her ear. She squirms away  
"What in StarClans name is WRONG with you?" She hisses. I shrug. She darts over to Midnightshadows.  
"Bloodkit bit me!" She says loudly.  
Mother rises instantly to her paws. She marches angrily over to me and wordlessly picks me up. I don't protest. Mother is annoyingly stubborn. She drops me on the floor of the nursery.  
"Unacceptable, Bloodkit!" She hisses, tail lashing angrily. I sigh and lay down in my nest.  
"She's fine. It was just a little nip!"  
"I don't care. You must be punished, and you were warned! You will watch from the nursery as every other kit is apprenticed tomorrow. You can wait another moon for your turn."  
"WHAT?!" I screech. "You can't DO THAT!"  
"I most certainly can." Mom says. "You aren't grounded, because StarClan knows what kind of havoc you would wreak in this place. Leafmoon is having kits soon!"  
I bristle angrily. My claws dig into the ground. How could she do this to me? I lash my tail and storm out of the nursery.

I pad over to the big tree in the center of camp. It is almost deserted. Some cats are out hunting, and most are gone at the gathering, including the new apprentices. I should be with them... Several cats are asleep.  
I decide to take the gathering as a chance to explore. I slip past the Medicine Cat Den and into the Apprentice Den.  
So this where I should be sleeping. I think bitterly. I turn and pad away. I explore all of the dens. There is nothing special about any of the dens. I decide to explore the forest. But just as I'm about to leave, everyone returns.  
Firepaw was the first to bound into camp. "Hello, Bloodkit!" She says before darting over to her mentor, Ambergaze.  
I look around for Blackpaw, who, unbenounced to me, has snuck up behind me. He pounces on me, grinning. I twist around and kick the clumsy apprentice off, then leap up and pin him to the ground.  
He stares at me, wide-eyed. "You're better than me at that!" He says. I allow him to squirm away. "You'll make an amazing apprentice, with an amazing mentor." He has a knowing smile spread on his face.  
"What do you mean? How would you know who my mentor will be?" I ask, suspicious. "What do you know?"  
"I overheard Thunderstar and Wolfshade talking about who should mentor you. Thunderstar suggested Snowstorm or Badgerstripe, but Wolfshade said that you had too much potential to be wasted by them." Blackpaw glances at Badgerstripe, the biggest warrior in the clan.  
"But they're both amazing warriors!" I protest. Badgerstripe as my mentor! What a thought!  
"Your mentor will be better than both of them put together! It's Wolfshade! He's the one that mentor both Snowstorm and Badgerstripe, you know." Blackpaw smiled.  
"Yeah. He's the best warrior in the clan. Even better than Thunderstar, I bet." I say.  
"I thought you knew better than to eavesdrop, Blackpaw." Says a voice behind me. I turn to see Wolfshade looming over me, not looking cross, but rather amused.  
"Sorry, Wolfshade. I didn't mean to eavesdrop at first, but then I heard Thunderstar say something about Bloodkit's mentor, and curiosity got the better of me." Blackpaw shuffles his paws nervously.  
"It's fine. Apprentices are bound to stick their noses into other cats' business sometimes." Wolfshade says. He turns to me. "I see much potential in you. You could be the best, with the correct teaching." He dips his head and pads away. I stare at him leave.  
"I am now unable to wait." I say. Blackpaw laughs.  
"Yeah." He says. "Anyhow, its time to go to bed. Good night." He pads over to the apprentice den, winking at Firepaw on his way there. Firepaw wrinkles her nose.

I spend my next several days listening to Elders' stories and sometimes talking to Warriors. Winterwish seems to like talking to me. I eventually get sick of staying in camp. Almost seven moons strait staying in camp. So one day, after Wolfshade sends out a hunting patrol, I slip out of camp and follow them.

The patrol consists of Badgerstripe, Ambergaze, Blackpaw, and Emberfang, my father. Badgerstripe glances around.  
"Lets split up and meet by the river. Catch as much prey as you can whithout crossing the border." Badgerstripe glares at Blackpaw, who grins nervously.  
I decide to follow Ambergaze. She pads slowly, attentively, through the forest. Her ears shoot up and she looks in my direction. I freeze. The grey shecat turned away and continued through the forest. I grin and follow.

I returned to camp unnoticed, before anyone realized I was gone. I did it several times. I watched cats hunt, battle train, and simply go around the forest. I tried a hunters crouch, but I don't think I'm very good at that yet. My day soon fell into a routine. I would eat, then go out with a patrol, return to camp at Sunhigh, hang out with Blackpaw or follow him into the forest, then return and hang around at camp.  
It's not the most exciting life. There was almost a fight with NightClan recently, and BreezeClan is stealing prey. Thunderstar says he'll address it at the next gathering. I am nearly bursting with excitement. My apprentice ceremony is so soon! The days pass in a blur, and suddenly...

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here underneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!"


	2. Bloodpaw

I stare down at my clanmates. Firepaw, now called Firelight, was smiling now that she had gotten her warrior name.  
"From this moment on, until you recieve your Warrior name, you will be called Bloodpaw. Your mentor will be Badgerstripe."  
Badgerstripe pads up, puffing out his chest. I am stunned. My mentor is supposed to be Wolfshade! Absentmindedly, I touch my nose to his. I look around, and see Blackpaw with a look of confusion on his face. He frowns. Wolfshade is unreadable. Is he disappointed I wasn't his apprentice? I'm not. My mentor is the Deputy!

He takes me out into the forest after the ceremony.  
"Show me your hunters crouch." He instructs. I crouch. "Good. But lower your tail, but not so low that its brushing the leaves." I comply. He examines my crouch.  
"Best crouch I've ever seen on a new apprentice." He says, clearly impressed. "Lets see if you can catch anything. Go hunt, I'll be watching." He turns and pads away.  
I look around. I don't know how to find prey. I have to try; The faster we finish the faster I learn to fight. I open my mouth, inhaling the scents around me. Mouse, stale. Twolegs, stale. Fox, stale. I pad silently out of the clearing. Obviously, nothing is there.  
I creep through the forest, alert for any smells or sounds. I hear something up in a tree, and I quickly look up. Was that Badgerstripe? If it is, I don't care. I'm hunting for food, not cats. I hear something to my right, and drop to a crouch. Its a vole.  
I pad forward slowly, staying light on my paws. I am in pouncing range. I tense and prepare to pounce. The vole looks up, sniffing. Suddenly, Everlastingpaw bursts from the bushes and lands on my prey, killing it quickly. I stand up, angry.  
"That was my prey!" I say.  
"You wouldn't have caught it." Everlastingpaw says, shaking her head. "You came from upwind! It already knew you were there and was about to run."  
Fuming, I turn and pad away.

After one more failed attempt, I catch a rabbit. Not a bad first catch. In fact, it is great! Badgerstripe is very impressed.  
"You are one lucky apprentice." Badgerstripe says. We spend all day hunting. No fighting. I ask him about it, but he says that hunting is the most important skill, because leafbare is quickly approaching.  
I hate it, but he is right. Prey is becoming more and more scarce. We are all still eating, but its harder to hunt. Soon, its time for the gathering. I am, of course, going as well as Wolfshade, Firelight, Darkpaw, Blackpaw, Ashpaw, Ambergaze, Midnightshadows, and Smokeflame.  
It's really cold, but I don't complain. We enter the clearing, and I can only gape at how many cats there are. As I descend the hill, I wonder what cats do here. I notice cats talking to eachother. Their scents are foreign to me, and Ashpaw tells me how to distinguish between different Clans.  
WaterClan smells like fish, BreezeClan like rabbits, and NightClan like pine trees. I've smelled fish before, at the border, but WaterClan smelled much stronger. I sit alone, tail curled around my paws.  
"Hello." A cat says behind me. I turn to see a black, BreezeClan shecat standing. "I'm Ravenpaw." She says.  
"I'm Bloodpaw." I say.  
"What Clan are you from?" Ravenpaw asks. "I don't really know the scents. Except for WaterClan; They were easy to guess." She wrinkles her nose.  
I laugh a bit. "I'm from StormClan. You're from Breezeclan, right?"  
She nods. "That's right. Are you a new apprentice?" She tilts her head, staring at me with large green eyes.  
"Yeah. I'm guessing you too, if you don't know the scents." I say.  
She nods again. "So..." She shuffles her paws. "Hows the prey in StormClan?"  
"Fairly well. How about BreezeClan?" Before she can answer, a loud yowl sounds from the Highbranch, where the leaders address the clans at gatherings.  
"Cats of all clans!" Thunderstar yowled, silencing all cats. "Welcome to the gathering."

The next morning brought a horrible surprise for us all.  
"Where's Badgerstripe?" Firelight asks. "He was hunting last night..." There is no need to say he never came back. I frown. That's odd.  
"He's not in his nest. We wasn't at all." Snowstorm says.  
"Send out patrols to search for him." Thunderstar says. "Bloopaw, Firelight, Snowstorm, Wolfshade, and Darkpaw."  
I nod and pad after Wolfshade.  
"Bloodpaw, Firelight, go search the Sunrocks." Wolfshade says. "Snowstorm, Darkpaw, come with me."  
I start running toward the Sunrocks. I push through the bushes and look around. Beside me, Firelight lets out a screech of horror. I follow her gaze to a black, white, and red heap a little ways away.  
It was Badgerstripe, covered in blood. I pad closer. There is a long gash on his shoulder, and a deep cut on his neck.  
"He was murdered!" I realize. Firelight stares at the body, bristling.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a clan meeting!" Thunderstar yowls. "Badgerstripe's body was found in the Sunrocks. He was killed."  
Outraged caterwauls rise from every cat of StormClan. "It was obviously WaterClan!" One cat screeched. "We should attack!"  
"No!" Thunderstar says. "There is no proof. Besides, there are other, more important matters. Badgerstripe was Deputy, and mentor to young Bloodpaw. Wolfshade, you will continue Bloodpaw's training.  
"I say these words before the body of Badgerstripe, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice! Wolfshade will be the new deputy of StormClan."  
Wolfshade, prouder than ever, smiles as the clan cheers his name.  
"Wolfshade! Wolfshade!" They cry happily. "Wolfshade! Wolfshade!"

I toss and turn in my nest, unable to sleep. I sigh and sit up. Faint moonlight is shining into the den, illuminating the other apprentices in their quiet sleep. I get up and slip silently out of the den.  
"Hello Bloodpaw." Says a voice as I pad out. "Can't sleep?"  
I turn and see Firelight sitting outside the Warriors den, her red fur seems to glow in the moonlight. "No." I admit.  
"Neither can I." Firelight sighs, her eyes filled with loneliness. She looked up at the stars. "Badgerstripe rests in StarClan tonight." She says sadly. "He was my father..."  
"Oh... I didn't know. I'm sorry." I say. I shuffle my paws.  
"It's not your fault, Bloodpaw. I just don't understand why anyone would kill him! He had no enemies." She bows her head.  
"The rocks where we found his body are unstable." I point out. "There could have been a rockfall. Or maybe a rogue. They have no honor at all!"  
Firelight nods, clearly unconvinced. "Perhaps." She says dejectedly. "But I have no family left. First Mothkit, then Swiftpaw, and I can't even remember my mother. Now Badgerstripe is gone."  
"I think I remember Swiftpaw." I say, frowning. "I remember when she died. I didn't really know what happened to her until now. I remember Foxtail- he was Foxpaw back then- dragging her body into camp, but the kits were told to go in the nursery." I could never make sense of that memory until now.  
"She was good with kits." Firelight says. "It makes sense that you would remember a cat like her." Firelight glances up, and sighed. "Its Moonhigh. I'll have to join the patrol. You should sleep. Training tomorrow." She smiles and trots away.

I wake up the next morning when I'm jabbed in the ribs by a sharp claw. I jump, startled awake by none other than Wolfshade.  
I scramble to my paws ungracefully, then realize its just him. I huff with annoyance and puff out my chest a little. "That one way to wake me up, I suppose. That hurt!" I swipe my tongue over my ruffled fur.  
Wolfshade snorted. "You're fine." He said. "Eat, then we're going to train." He turns and leaves.  
When I look outside, I realize it isn't really morning yet. The stars were fading, but the sun has not yet begun to peek over the trees. I stretch and yawn, then pad quietly over to the freshkill pile. I scan the choices and choose a juicy-looking vole. The scent floods my mouth, and I realize how hungry I am. I set it down and take a giant bite.

Wolfshade is pacing back and forth, waiting for me when I run into the training clearing. He stops pacing and looks at me. "Finally." He says. "Now, the first thing we are going to do is Battle training. This is the most important skill you will learn."  
Unable to help myself, I say "Isn't hunting more important?"  
"No." Wolfshade growls. "Can you hunt other cats like a rabbit, or mouse? If you are going to defend your clan, you must learn to fight." He glares at me. "Now, attack me."  
I hesitate, then, seeing his fierce and rather frightening glare, in charge him. He swiftly dodges and swipes at me, claws extended.  
You're supposed to practice with sheathed claws! I think. I am knocked violently into the ground. I hiss and jump up, and leap at him again. Despite a well aimed jump, I land heavily in the grass as he jumps away again.  
"Faster!" He says. "You're moving slower than a kittypet!"  
Frustrated, I let out a yowl and I dart toward him. I am moving too quickly, unfortunately, and when Wolfshade steps out of my way, I attempt to stop myself, but only manage in tripping, then rolling quickly into a large rock at the edge of the clearing. Pain lances through my spine, and I fall into a heap.  
Wolfshade shakes his head. "Too fast, kittypet." He says tauntingly. "You need to be quick, but able to control yourself."  
I don't answer. I lift myself to my paws, wincing. I arch my back and stretch. Still aching, I glare at Wolfshade defiantly.  
"Attack me again. This is very amusing." Wolfshade smiles.  
Too annoyed to consider the consequences of doing so, I sit down and lick the blood from a scratch on my shoulder.  
Before I can even react, Wolfshade has me pinned to the ground, his claws digging into my fur. "If you won't, I will." He snarls. "I don't know why I ever thought I could make a cat like you into a warrior." He sighs.  
Rage wells up in my chest my eyes burn with fury. I try to get out from under Wolfshade, but his claws only sink deeper. I went slack. Wolfshade smirks and lets me go.  
`Instantly, I jump up and leap at him. He hears me and turns just as I barrel into him. I lunge forward, sinking my fangs into his shoulder. He yowls and knocks me off of him.  
I stumble but quickly tackle again. Before I can attack, he whirls and his paw slams into the side of my head. I stumble away, the world spinning around me. I feel blood trickle down my face.  
I glare furiously at Wolfshade, who is looking at me with a new interest. He stands and says. "You'll make a decent warrior, at least." He leaves the training hollow.  
"Decent?" I growl quietly. "I'm the best apprentice in the clan."

I stare down at the water after washing my paws and licking my wounds. I see fish swimming the the clear water. I'm not fishing, though. I'm still annoyed at what happened during training.  
"I'll be the best warrior." I snarl to no one. "I'll rule the clan!"

Two moons passed, and now Wolfshade has taught me many moves, and now it time for my first assessment.  
"This will not be a normal assessment." Wolfshade says. "This is a test of your skill at fighting. Or rather, how willing you are to kill a cat. I won't ask you to kill, yet, though. Remember the ridge at the edge of the territory? Everlastingpaw will be hunting there for her assessment."  
I listen as he explains what I am to do. I hesitate, but agree.

` I follow Everlastingpaw silently, sure to stay out of sight of her mentor, Winterwish leaves to check on Silverpaw, I take the opportunity. Everlastingpaw, who is way too curious, looks over the edge of the cliff.  
I dart toward her silently, heart pounding. Do I really want to do this? Pushing hte doubts away, I place my paws on her back and, before she can react, push her over the edge.  
I ignore any guilty feelings that well up and run off before anyone can come.

"I did it." I say, later that day.  
"I know. She's in the medicine cat den." Wolfshade said. "I'm actually surprised she survived."  
"Yeah." I agree.

For the rest of the day, it bothers me. Finally, I decide to visit her in the Medicine Cat den.  
"Oh, hello, Bloodpaw." Everlastingpaw sighs as I walk into the den.  
"I just um... Wanted to see if you were OK. Wolfshade told me what happened." I shift from paw-to-paw uncomfortably. She has a cut on her back, and her hind leg is is wrapped thickly in cobwebs.  
Everlastingpaw sees me looking at her leg. "It's broken." She says, her voice heavy with sorrow. She looks down. "Tigerleaf says it may never heal..."  
I feel a stab of guilt. "You can't give up hope, though! I bet it'll be fine." My attempts to encourage her are met with a dejected sigh.  
"I guess." Her green eyes are troubled. "Also, I didn't fall. Someone pushed me!"  
My heart stops momentarily. Did she know it was me? "P-pushed you?" I ask nervously.  
"I don't know who." She says with a frown. "I was just looking over the edge; just a peek, and someone just shoved me right over. Some rocks fell on me, which is how I broke my leg. I suppose I'm actually lucky to be alive."  
A wave of relief washes over me. She doesn't know! "I've gotta go." I say. "Erm... I hope you get better." I leave the den and look around in search of Firelight. I see her slip out of the warriors den, her coat shining in the afternoon sunlight.  
I bound over to her. "Hi, Firelight." I say.  
Firelight sees me and smiles. "Hey, Bloodpaw!" She says. "How are you?"  
"Good. I finished my first assessment today." I lift my chin proudly.  
"That's pretty big." Firelight says. "How do you think you did?" She sits down.  
"I'm pretty sure I did good." I say. "My hunting crouch needs some work, though."  
"On my first assessment, I did perfectly in hunting, but I was pretty awful when it came to fighting." Firelight says. Her eyes flicker to something behind me, but she quickly returns her gaze to me.  
My ears prick and I turn around to see Blackpaw attempting to sneak up on me. When I turn, he jumps up from his crouch and playfully tackles me.  
I throw him off and leap to my paws, prepared for another attack. Beside me, Firelight laughs with amusement.  
Blackpaw sits down, smirking. "You're pretty good." He said. "I bet you did great on your assessment!"  
"Of course." I say boastfully.  
"Well, if nothing else, your reflexes are amazing." Firelight says.  
I feel my fur grow warm from the praise. "Th-thanks!" I say, smiling.  
"Firelight! You're on a patrol, remember?" Darkmoon's voice sounds from across the camp.  
Firelight nodded. "I've gotta go." She mews. "I'll see you later, Bloodpaw." She pads after Darkmoon.  
I watch her leave, then slip wordlessly into the apprentice den.

I am padding quietly through a dark forest. The StormClan forest, I soon realize. I am going to the Sunning Rocks.  
Just before I reach the clearing, I hear a familiar voice. Badgerstripe! I try to run over, but I am in control of neither my voice nor my body.  
"You scared my mouse, Wolfshade!" His tone is goodnatured.  
"I know you pressured Thunderstar into giving you an apprentice. You asked for Bloodpaw specifically." Wolfshade snarls.  
"Aw, Wolfshade. You aren't mad about that, are you?"  
I step forward to look at what is happening. It is Badgerstripe! He's alive!  
"I am. I would be a much better mentor. I WILL be a better mentor."  
"I'm not going to ask Thunderstar to give the kit to you." Badgerstripe growls.  
"Very well." Wolfshade inspects his unsheathed claws. "I didn't expect you to, anyways."  
Badgerstripe glared at Wolfshade, then turned away. "I'll have to report this to Thunderstar." He says.  
Suddenly, Wolfshade is on top of him, pinning him down. "You'll have to do that in StarClan." He slices his claws across Basgerstripes throat, killing him.

My eyes fly open, my hackles raised and my terrified yowl lingering in the air.  
"What happened?" Asks an alarmed apprentice. It takes me a moment to identify him as Blackpaw.  
"Nothing." I growl. The dream was so... Real. Was it even a dream? Or was it some sort of vision from StarClan?

"Focus, Bloodpaw!" Wolfshade swipes at me but I duck. "Why in StarClans name are you so distant?" Wolfshade glares at me. I flinch, remembering Wolfshade's cold glare in my dream. The glare right before his claws sliced open Badgerstripe's throat.  
"N-no reason, Wolfshade." I murmur.  
My mentor narrows his eyes. It is obvious he doesn't believe me. However, he simply nods. "Fine." He says. "But pay attention now."

My fears that Wolfshade is a murderer are confirmed that wonderful training session.  
"Use that move only when necessary. This is only one killing blow, but it is powerful and useful. You must first pin down your enemy, then cut their throat. It is a rarely used attack."  
The image of Wolfshade slicing his claws across Badgerstripe's neck flash in my mind.  
"Try it on me. Claws sheathed, for this one."  
I instantly bowl him over. I am quickly thrown off, though. This happens several times before I drag my paw over his throat.  
"Not bad." Wolfshade says. "You're an exemplary fighter, Bloodpaw. You'll make a good warrior."  
I nod silently, getting off of him.  
"Now, show me your hunting crouch."  
I crouch.  
"Lower. You're putting too much weight on your left side. Lower your tail, but not so much that it disturbs the leaves."  
I adjust my crouch.  
"Maybe now you'll be able to catch something." Wolfshade said seriously.

Nothing much happens the next few moons. Leaffall came and went, Everlastingpaw got her warrior name, even though she would never become a warrior. Her name is Everlastingheart. Also, she is with Darkmoon. Not mates, yet, but getting there.  
And, finally, it is time for my final assessment. Ok, a lot has happened. Including a minor battle between NightClan and BreezeClan.

Wolfshade didn't even bother with my fighting assessment. He knew my skills.  
"You will hunt on the far border, away from any clan borders." Wolfshade looked at me.  
"Alright." I say, confident. I am now nearly as big as him, with darker red stripes and a v-shaped scar on my ear. I flex my claws then turn and dart away.

When I reach the border, I am soon aware of another scent. I open my mouth slightly. Rogues! I tense, hearing a cat approaching. He was obviously not trying to be quiet. He emerged into the clearing. I stare at him, mouth agape. He looked almost just like me, if not for his ice blue eyes.  
"You're on RogueClan territory!" The Tom said, grinning.  
"Your territory?" I growl. "This is StormClam land!"  
The Tom frowns. "Is it?" He tastes the air. "I guess it is. Oh, well. It's mine now."  
I gape. "You can't do that!" I protest.  
"Oh? And who going to stop me?" The rogue asks. "You? Are you so arrogant that you think you can defeat Blood, leader of the mighty RogueClan?! Ha. Ridiculous."  
"Wanna test that?" I snarl, unsheathing my claws.  
"This is amusing. Who are you?" Blood narrowed his eyes.  
"Bloodpaw, apprentice to Wolfshade of StormClan." I puff out my chest proudly.  
"Wolfshade? I am suddenly interested. Show me what you've got, apprentice." Blood unsheathes his claws.  
I hiss and charge. Just before I reach him, he sidesteps. I feel his fangs sinking into my shoulder. I let out a yowl.

Random Blood's POV

Bloodpaw's scent floods my mouth. My eyes widen with the shock of the familiar scent. I release him, my hackles spiked. He crumples the the ground, gasping from no doubt pain. Blood runs down his neck as he looks up at me, his eyes burning with fury.  
My heart stops, and the image of a black shecat with amber eyes glaring at me. The image morphs to the same shecat, but her belly was swollen with unborn kits.  
The apprentices glare burns into me as I stare, images of the black shecat flashing through my mind. The shecat is-no, was- named Nightshade.

Bloodpaws POV

Blood stares at me, mouth agape and his icy eyes stretched wide with shock.  
"What are you staring at, mouse brain?" I hiss, narrowing my eyes.  
"You." Blood says, averting his gaze to the ground.  
"Why?" I demand.  
"Because..." He sighs. "You're my son."  
"Wh-what?" I yelp. "No! I'm emberfangs son."  
"Ah. Is he the one who rescued you from the fox? Is that how you lived?"  
"Emberfang was not responsible for saving him."  
I turn to see Wolfshade padding into the clearing. "What?" I cry. "You?"  
Wolfshade nods, his gaze never leaving Blood.  
Blood smiles. "Wolfshade! Good to see you."  
"I can't say the same. Get off my territory."  
"Or what?" Blood asks.  
"Or I'll show my apprentice my favorite killing blow using you as an example, then throw your body into the river." Wolfshade snarls. He lashed his tail.  
Blood narrows his eyes but nods. He turns and stalks away.  
"Hunt somewhere else, Bloodpaw." Wolfshade's tone is dangerous so I decide not to say anything.

When I return to camp it is sundown. Firelight looks up when I walk in and her face brightens. She gets up and trots over. "How did it go?" She asks.  
"Fine." I say moodily.  
"What happened? Is something wrong?"  
"You could say that."  
"You wanna go on a walk and talk to me?"  
I smile, my bad mood almost gone. "That would be nice." I say.

"So your father is a rogue..." Firelight says.  
"Yup." I say.  
"Well that's... Surprising. How did you do on your assessment?"  
"I did pretty good, actually. I think I'll be a warrior soon."


End file.
